Daydream
by SummerTimePlz
Summary: Slight AU. Follows Into Darkness. It was 1996 when the S.S Botany Bay sailed into the darkness beyond.. She was supposed to live a simple life, following in her mother's footsteps. But the Universe had another plan for her. Florence emerges in a world where the line between friend and foe are blurred. She must learn who her allies are and...what these strange feelings mean..
1. Chapter 1

_"Come Florence, we must go."_

 _"No!"_

 _A young girl struggled fruitlessly against the man who was currently dragging her into the sleeper ship S.S Botany Bay._

 _"Gah!" The man set the girl down and slapped her cheek._

 _She froze._

 _"Listen to me," he quickly whispered, "there is nothing left for us here. They have deemed us war criminals; we will die! What don't you understand?"_

 _Her eyes began to water. "If I'm going to sleep, I want to sleep for good. I'm just so tired Khan. The things that I've seen...that I've done.. I just want to forget. I'm tired of living this life. Please, just let me die."_

 _Khan's face hardened. He couldn't believe he came from this pathetic excuse of an augment. However, he knows she'll be of use for the future to come. He quickly put on his previous facade before she noticed. "My dear girl," he lightly stroked her braided hair, "don't ever say such things. We have ALL committed sins, yes, but it was for the greater good! These humans just could not comprehend that." Khan tilted her chin up so they were both staring into each others eyes. "I promise you Florence, the next time we wake life will be different. No longer will you have to sleep, no longer will your life belong to someone else. Now come, we're out of time."_

 _Florence hesitated for a moment before nodding. She let him take her hand in his as he slightly tugged her to the ship. Khan and the others, they're the only other family she had since..that day. Khan gave her hope and for that she'll trust him._

* * *

 **CLASS M PLANET  
**

 **NIBIRU**

A cloaked figure maniacally runs into a forest of red as the planet's inhabitants angrily charge after him.

Speeding through, the figure only stops when a giant alien beast rears right in front of him. He quickly takes out his hidden phaser and shoots. Left standing is another being in disguise.

He reveals himself to be Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, the seemingly forever grumpy CMO of the Starship Enterprise . "Damn it, man! That was our ride! You just stunned our ride!"

The former is no other than the brash captain of said ship, James "Jim" Kirk. "Oh great."

Behind them, the screams of the natives begin to grow even louder. "Run!" Jim yells as he shoots past his best friend.

"What the hell did you take?!"

"I have no idea, but they were bowing to it!" Jim flips open his communicator, "Kirk to Shuttle One. Locals are out of the kill zone. You are clear. Repeat. Spock, get in there, neutralize the volcano and let's get out of here!"

l**l

At the nearby volcano, a shuttle craft dives into it's black plume of smoke.

"We have to do this now," says Hikaru Sulu as he heads to punch some codes into the computer, "I told the captain the shuttle wasn't built for this kind of heat!"

Spock, Kirk's First Officer, is currently being suited up for his drop into the volcano. "Captain, did the indigenous life forms see you?" he monotonically asks through the comm.

" _No, Mr. Spock, they did not,"_ he responds.

"The Prime Directive clearly states there can be no interference with the internal development of alien civilizations." Nearby, Lieutenant Nyota Uhura can only smirk. Typical Spock.

" _I know what it says! Which is why I'm running through a jungle wearing a disguise! Now drop off your super ice cube and let's go! Kirk out!"_

"You're good," says Uhura as she finished placing the final pieces onto Spock's suit.

"If we're gonna do this, we've got to do it now! This ash is killing our coils," Sulu remarks urgently as the Vulcan hybrid starts up the cooling device.

The dark skinned woman steps up next to her pointy-eared fascination, "you sure don't want me to go instead?"

Spock looked as confused as a Vulcan could. "That would be highly illogical as I am already outfitted-"

"Spock, I was kidding," she sweetly kisses his helmet, "you got this."

"Guys! We have to go! Now!"

l**l

Back on land, the two men continue to speed through the forest as the natives grow closer.

"They're trying to kill us," pants McCoy as a spear barely misses him, "they're trying to kill us, Jim!"

l**l

"I'll see you in ninety seconds."

Uhura closes the protective screen and watches as Spock attaches his safety cord.

"Do it, do it!" urges Sulu.

With one last glance, she pulls the lever that sends Spock into the fiery depths of the volcano.

His descent is anything but steady. Just as he makes it half way down, an automatic voice rings throughout the shuttle.

 _Prerequisite change, 2-7-3.._

"I can't hold this position. Spock, I've got to pull you back up," remarks the Japanese man through the shuttle-wide comm.

 _"Negative. This is our only chance to save this species. If this volcano erupts, the planet dies."_

Right then the left turbine erupts. "Pull him back up," he orders the woman next to him. "Now!"

Due to the intense heat, the safety cord snaps as the craft ascends sending Spock on a free fall towards the bottom.

He lands with a thud on a patch of rocky terrain.

 _"Spock, are you okay?"_ comms Uhura.

"I am, surprisingly, alive. Stand by."

"We have to get him back," she tells Sulu as she puts the craft on autopilot, "I'll suit up. I'm gonna go down."

He makes it a point not to look her in the eyes. "We have to abandon the shuttle."

"We can't just leave him, Sulu!"

"We don't have a choice! Uhura I'm sorry."

"Spock, we're going back to the Enterprise. We'll get you out of there," she quickly messages.

Sulu comms Kirk, "Captain, I'm ditching the shuttle. You've got to make it to the Enterprise on your own."

" _Wonderful."_

"Uhura, you ready to swim?" he asks.

"I'm ready."

l**l

"Jim! Jim! The beach is that way!" McCoy shouts pointing away from where they were heading.

"I know," the blonde says as he places the stolen scroll onto some branches, "we're not going to the beach!"

"Oh no, no, no! I hate this!"

Jim dares a glance back. "I know you do!"

Both continue running a few paces more til they reach the edge of the cliff and jump off into the open sea below. Upon hitting the water, they activate their air jets that send them to an opening on the Enterprise. As soon as the water is shot out of the small compartment, a shorter man wearing red slides open the door. "Do ya have any idea how ridiculous it is to hide a starship on the bottom of the ocean? We've been down here since last night! The salt water's gonna ruin the-"

"Scotty, where's Spock?" Kirk cuts off his Chief Engineer.

He looks down dejectedly, "Still in the volcano Sir."

l**l

Spock dutifully activates the cooling bomb. Even with the roaring lava around him, he still manages to keep a cool exterior. Looking up, a big explosion occurs that sends the molten heat out of it's home and onto the surrounding area. The natives look on in stunned horror.

l**l

"Keptin on da bridge!" announces whizkid Pavel Chekov.

"Lieutenant," Jim asks the worried Uhura, "do we have an open channel on Mr. Spock?"

"The heat's frying his comms, but we still have contact." The look on her face shows him how serious the situation is.

"Spock?" Kirk calls out.

" _I have activated the device, Captain. When the countdown is complete, the reaction should render the volcano inert."_

"Yea, and that's gonna render him inert!" the good doctor grumbles.

James steps closer to the control consoles. "Do we have use of the transporters?"

"Negative, sir," responds his Senior Helmsman.

"Not vit these magnetic fields," says the young Navigator almost immediately.

"I need to beam Spock back to the ship. Give me one way to do it."

"Maybe if ve had a direct line of sight. If ve got closer-"

"Hold on, wee man," Montgomery Scott interjects, "you're talking about an active volcano! Sir, I cannot guarantee we can withstand that kind of heat!"

"I don't know that we can maintain that kind of altitude," Sulu adds on.

 _"Our shuttle was concealed by the ash cloud, but the Enterprise is too large. If utilized in a rescue effort, it would be revealed to the indigenous species."_

Uhura can't believe what she's hearing.

This can't be happening. "Spock, nobody knows the rules better than you, but there has got to be an exception."

 _"None. Such actions violate the Prime Directive."_

McCoy has had enough with this bullshit, "shut up, Spock! We're trying to save you, damn it!"

 _"Doctor, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."_

Kirk is also beginning to lose patience. "Spock, we're talking about your life!"

 _"T-he r-uu-le c-annot b-e b-r-oo-ken-"_ his line is disconnected.

"Spock!" James turns to Nyota, "try to get him back online."

"Ninety seconds to detonations," Pavel says heavyhearted.

"If Spock were here and I were there, what would he do," solemnly contemplates Kirk.

"He'd let you die."

l**l

The bold captain, known for breaking the rules every now and then, believes in the idea that there are no "no-win" situations. And right now was a prime example of that. Even though strict protocol prohibits you being seen by un-advanced civilizations, there was no way in hell he was going to let his friend die when there was a way to get him out alive.

Thus is the reasoning behind propelling the massive starship from out of the ocean and into open sky were hundreds of beings gazed stunned at the enormous object. I mean, it can't have that great of an impact, can it?

With only seconds left, the Enterprise grazed the volcano as she materialized the rigid Vulcan on board. All occupants held anxious panic.

White beams surrounded the pale, renounced male as he awaited death with open arms. But behold his confused surprise when he found himself on the beaming pad.

Captain Kirk, with Bones at his tail, ran into the transporter room feeling quite relieved. "Spock! You all right?"

"Captain, you let them see our ship."

"Oh, he's fine," McCoy waves him off, secretly relieved the green hobgoblin didn't get himself killed.

 _"Bridge to Captain Kirk."_

"Yes Lieutenant."

 _"Is Commander Spock on board, Sir?"_

"Safely and soundly."

 _"Please notify him that his device has successfully detonated."_ With that, Nyota angrily throws off her head piece onto her console. _I swear to God.._

"You hear that? Congratulations, Spock. You just saved the world."

"You violated the Prime Directive."

"Oh, come on, Spock. They saw us. Big deal."

l**l

Unbeknownst to them, back on Nibiru, those who saw the starship circled around it's image that was drawn into the red sand. They abandoned their old religious relic and instead worshiped this new one.


	2. Chapter 2

_My heart is absolutely broken.._

 _The way he went is absolutely fucked up. May Anton Yelchin, our sweet Chekov, rest in peace.  
_

* * *

 **LONDON**

 **2259.55**

 _Beep! Beep! Beep!  
_

A hand slams onto the blaring alarm clock effectively shutting it off. A dog jumps onto the couple in bed. Only the man gets up as the woman stares with a melancholy daze.

l**l

The couple's drive to the nearby hospital facility is solemn. Their daughter was born sick; only expected to live a few days. But she surprised them all by living nine years. However, her health began rapidly declining over the past month. Doctors estimate she doesn't have long left.

As they made their way to her bedside, they were told she had fallen into a coma. The only thing Lucille's mother could do was give the girl her stuffed rabbit and cry by her side.

Her father, Starfleet Officer Henry Harewood, could only look on with disdain. He was ashamed and angry he couldn't help his little girl. Too filled with emotion, he left to get some fresh air.

As his mind began to clear, a voice from behind addressed him. "I can save her."

Henry turns around dumbfounded. "What did you say?"

"Your daughter," the English-accented voice replies, "I can save her".

He can't believe it.

"Who are you?"

* * *

 **SAN FRANCISCO**

 **STARFLEET HQ**

"Spock, I'm telling you, this is why he called. I can feel it."

"Your feeling aside, I consider it highly unlikely that we will be selected for the new program."

The ever bashful Captain Kirk walked along side Spock, his First Officer. They were finely dressed in their gray officer uniforms heading to the office of Admiral Pike.

"Why else would Pike want to see us," Kirk pushed, "forget about seniority. They gave us the newest ship in the fleet. I mean, who else are they gonna send out?"

"I can think of numerous possibilities," replied the Vulcan.

Kirk was too excited to pay mind to Spock's reasonable negativity. "A five-year mission, Spock! That's deep space! That's uncharted territory! Think how incredible that's gonna be." Just then a pair of women walked past, momentarily distracting him.

"Hey, ladies. Jim Kirk."

l**l

Both men readily stood in front of Christopher Pike.

"Uneventful," he began.

Jim was slightly confused. "Admiral?"

"It's the way you described the survey of Nibiru in your Captain's log."

"Yes, sir, I didn't want to waste your time going over the details."

"Tell me more about this volcano. Data says it was highly volatile. If it were to erupt, it would wipe out the planet."

"Let's hope it doesn't, sir," Kirk dutifully replies.

"Something tells me it won't," the Admiral sends a look over to Spock who then glances over to Kirk.

Spock finally sees where this is going.

"Well, sir, volatile is all relative," the blonde responds still managing to play it off smoothly, "maybe our data was off."

"Or maybe it didn't erupt because Mr. Spock detonated a cold fusion device inside it right after a civilization that's BARELY invented the WHEEL happened to see a STARSHIP rising out of their ocean!" Pike could no longer contain his anger and disappointment towards the captain. "That pretty much is how you described it, is it not?" he shoots off at Spock.

"Admiral-" Spock began addressing the Admiral when he was abruptly cut off by Jim.

"You filed a report?" Jim couldn't believe what he was hearing, "why didn't you tell me?"

"I incorrectly assumed that you would be truthful in your Captain's log."

"Yeah, I would have been if I didn't have to save your life."

"A fact for which I am immeasurably grateful and the very reason I felt it necessary to take responsibility for the actions-"

Jim couldn't help but scoff at his words, "take responsibility, yeah. That'd be so noble, pointy, if you weren't also throwing me under the bus."

"Pointy? Is that a derogatory reference to-"

"Gentlemen," the aged man rose from his seat behind the desk and slowly made his way in front of the two men, "Starfleet's mandate is to explore and observe, not to interfere."

"Had the mission gone according to plan, Admiral, the indigenous species would never have been aware of our interference," sharply responds Spock.

"That's a technicality."

"I am Vulcan, sir. We embrace technicality."

"Are you giving me attitude, Spock?"

"I'm expressing multiple attitudes simultaneously, sir. To which are you referring?"

"Out," Pike just can't deal with the Vulcan right now, "you're dismissed, Commander."

With one last look to his Captain, Spock makes his leave out the door.

"You have any idea what a pain in the ass you are," rhetorically questions the Admiral.

"I think so, sir." James Kirk continues to stand at attention speaking in a stoic tone.

"So tell me what you did wrong. What's the lesson to be learned here?"

"Never trust a Vulcan."

Christopher Pike's anger is reignited as he continues on. "Now, see, you can't even answer the question. You lied. On an official report, you lied. You think the rules don't apply to you 'cause you disagree with them."

James still doesn't face the Admiral. "That's why you talked me into signing up in the first place. That's why you gave me your ship."

"I gave you my ship because I saw greatness in you," he's silent for a moment before resuming, "and now, I see you haven't got an ounce of humility."

Blue eyes finally met blue.

"What was I supposed to do, let Spock die?" Kirk asserts.

"You're missing the point."

"I don't think I am, sir. What would you have done?"

"I wouldn't have risked my First Officer's life in the first place! You were supposed to survey a planet, not alter it's destiny! You violated a dozen Starfleet regulations and almost got everyone under your command _killed_."

"Except I didn't!" Jim fiercely argues back, "You know how many crew members I've lost? Not one!"

"That's your problem," he exclaims with the same ferocity, "you think you're infallible! You think you can't make a mistake. It's a pattern with you! That the rules are for other people-"

"Some should be."

"And what's worse is you using BLIND luck to JUSTIFY your playing God!" In a much solemn tone he adds, "given the circumstances, this has been brought to Admiral Marcus's attention. He convened a special tribunal, to which I was not invited. You understand what Starfleet regulations mandate be done at this point. They've taken the Enterprise away from you," the air seemed to freeze at that moment, "they're sending you back to the Academy."

This can't be happening to him. "Admiral, listen-"

"No, I'm not going to listen."

"I can justify-"

"Why should I listen? I'm not going to listen. You don't listen to anybody but yourself!"

Jim was trying hard to get his claim across. "I understand regulation, but every decision I've made-"

"No! I can't listen! You don't comply with the rules, you don't take responsibility for _anything_ , and you don't respect the chair. You know why? Because you're not ready for it."

James Kirk was stunned to say the least. He looked onto Christopher Pike, the man who picked him up at an Iowa bar after getting his ass handed to him. The man who believed in him and gave him hope for a future filled with endless possibilities.

To hear him say all that was a blow to the gut.

* * *

 **LONDON  
**

Officer Harewood stands over his sickly daughter. He opens a small canister and takes out a vile filled with blood. He carefully places it in her dialysis machine and watches as crimson flows into her IV. Henry stares at his daughter's chart as her vitals go up and her body begins to heal. Tears stream down his face as he's overcome with joy. _My little girl will live.._

l**l

Anxiety fills Henry as he approaches the Kelvin Memorial Archive. He sends one last look across the street to the man who saved Lucille's life before entering the building. His stoic composure disappeared as he entered an elevator and pushed the button for his destination. Thoughts of what he was about to do rummage throughout his mind.

He exits and maneuvers his way to a computer then sends a quickly made e-mail to Admiral Marcus. Henry looks down at the cup of water in front of him, tears stain his cheeks, and drops the ring the man had given him. It sizzled for a moment before exploding into a fiery blaze, destroying the entire building.

* * *

When depressed, his go-to destination was always a bar.

And that's where Jim found himself currently, downing another round of whiskey.

Just as he was about to make a pass at a lovely lady beside him, Pike showed up unexpectedly, thoroughly cock-blocking him. "How did you find me," Kirk sighs.

"I know you better than you think," Chris replies. "The first time I found you was in a dive like this. Remember that? You got your ass handed to you."

"No, I didn't."

"You don't?"

"No, that's not what happened."

"That was an _epic_ beating."

"No it wasn't."

"You had napkins hanging out of your nose," both men couldn't help the chuckles that escaped from their mouths, "did you not?"

Kirk couldn't help but be amused by the memory of a simpler, yet hopeless time of his life. "Yeah, that was a good fight."

" _A good fight._ I think that's your problem right there." Christopher gave a stern, yet gentle look to James, "they gave her back to me. The Enterprise."

The true gravity of the situation finally seemed to hit Jim. "Congratulations. Watch your back with that First Officer, though."

"Spock's not going to be working with me," he quickly dismisses, "he's been transferred. U.S.S. Bradbury."

James couldn't help but be slightly surprised by this.

"You're going to be my First Officer," Pike's eyes held secret contentment as he continued, "yeah, Marcus took some convincing. But every now and then I can make a good case."

"What did you tell him?"

"The truth. That I believe in you. That if anybody deserves a second chance, it's Jim Kirk."

"I don't know what to say.."

"That is a first," a gentle smiled graced the Admiral's lips, "it's going to be okay, son."

Pike really was the father he never got to have.

At the sound of a beep, Christopher flips open his communicator to see a newly received alert. "Emergency session, Daystrom. That's us."

"Yeah."

He makes his way off the stool and endearingly nudges Kirk, "Suit up."

l**l

Starfleet head quarters was busy as usual. Personnel roamed the building coming from all directions.

James Kirk was currently making his way up to the meeting room. Annoyingly enough, so was Spock.

"Captain," the Vulcan called.

Kirk was obviously still upset by the whole ordeal. "Not anymore, Spock. I was demoted and you were reassigned." Both entered the elevator and made their way up.

"It is fortunate that the consequences were not more severe."

"You've got to be kidding me," Kirk sighs.

"Captain, it was never my intention-"

"Not Captain. I saved your life, Spock. You wrote a report, I lost my ship." The elevator doors opened and they made their way into the room, Spock slightly lagging behind.

For whatever reason (the Vulcan was having difficulty ascertaining his different emotions), Spock didn't want his Captain to be mad him. "Commander, I see now I should have alerted you to the fact that I submitted the report."

"No, I'm familiar with your compulsion to follow the rules," as they entered the room, Kirk stopped to face the pointy-eared man, "but you see, I can't do that. Where I come from, if someone saves your life, you don't stab him in the back."

"Vulcans cannot lie," he duly notes.

"Then I'm talking to the half-human part of you. All right? Do you understand why I went back for you?"

Just then a dark-skinned man interrupted their little moment. "Commander Spock? Frank Abbot, U.S.S. Bradbury. Guess you're with me."

Spock gives a quick glance over to Jim before giving a curt nod, "Yes, Captain." They watched him leave for a moment before turning back to each other.

"The truth is," James starts, "I'm going to miss you." Spock opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't seemed to find any words. He was actually rendered speechless.

Jim waited expectantly for his reply, but when he realized he wasn't going to get one, he left with a frustrated sigh. Spock could only look on feeling slightly bewildered.

* * *

 _i think i'm gonna awkwardly leave it here..i don't wanna overwhelm anyone with a super long chap (over 2,200 words..hehe)_

 _to anyone (if there even IS anyone) who remotely cares, next post will be in 3-5 days._


End file.
